34 BULLETIN 1200, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
YOUNG GROWTH FOLLOWING LOGGING. 
DISTRIBUTION AND SPECIES IN UNBURNED SLASH. 
Dense stands of young growth were found in unburned slash on 
areas where no seed trees were left. The young growth consisted 
largely of western red cedar and western hemlock and contained less. 
of the other species that were in the stand before cutting. The vege- 
table matter and soil of the forest floor contain the seeds of all the 
species that form the stand, and those seeds germinate and form 
the new forest. In unburned slash the new forest usually contains 
a larger percentage of western red cedar and western hemlock, be- 
ue more of the seed of these small-seeded species is near the sur- 
ace. 
On an area of unburned slash near Fairfax, Wash., where a mature 
stand of Douglas fir, noble fir, and western hemlock had been clear 
cut, permanent plots were established and were examined each year 
for five years. At the end of the five years there was a dense stand 
of reproduction, and the density did not vary in relation to the dis- 
tance from the edge of the green timber. Some of the densest stands 
were 15 chains from green timber, and some of the poorer stands 
were within 2 chains of green timber. The age classes were evenly 
distributed throughout the area. (Pl. VII, fig. 1.) 
The rate of germination after cutting and the density of the stand 
on this area are given in Table 14. : 
Taste 14.—-Density of stand of seedlings and rate of germination in unburned 
slash near Fairfax, Wash. 
Percentage | Total num- 
A eae et of total ber of seed- 
venttine, | germination | lings per acre 
yee each year. each year. 
1 20 12, 000 
2 58 46, 800 
3 13 54, 600 
4 i 58, 800 
5 2 60, 009 
-1The stand consisted of 7 per cent Douglas fir, 76 per cent western hemlock, and 17 per cent noble fir. 
In the region near Hazel, Wash., the forest is approaching the 
ultimate cedar-hemlock type. The remaining Douglas firs are very 
scattered and consist of veterans about 450 years old among western 
red cedar and western hemlock. Although the scil is favorable for 
Douglas-fir reproduction, there is generally a relatively small per- 
centage of Douglas fir in the young growth after cutting. This may 
be attributed to the scant seed from overmature Douglas fir trees 
that were in the stand before cutting and to the destruction of this 
seed by rodents. One area of unburned slash that was examined 
three years after logging where there were two to six western hem- 
lock seed trees per acre, was covered with an average of about 12,000 
seedlings per acre, 16 per cent of which were Douglas fir, 28 per cent 
cedar, and 56 per cent hemlock. The nearest western red cedar seed 
trees were at least 20 chains from the area, and there were no Douglas 
fir seed trees within one-half mile. Many of the western red cedar 
seedlings were found in clumps of five to seven individuals, which 
